Problems Adding Second Transformer with LV Track Lighting

We bought 3 Ikea Magnesium systems years ago and just got around to installing in the kitchen.

We installed one system (5 MR16 12V lamps, 8.6 amp transformer), but we need to add another to cover the area.

I was going to just wire the two together on the same input source, but I see that the breaker is 15 amp.

Rather than upgrade the breaker, can I just run 4 lights on one system, or doesn't it work that way?

Rick

 

First off you can't just up the breaker. The breaker is sized to the size of the wire on that circuit. Doing so could risk a fire.

The 8.6 amps of the transformer is the max output of the transformer. You need to add up the watts of the lamps and divide that by the volts (in your case 12) and that will give you the amps of each lamp. So if each lamp is 20 watts you would divide 20 by 12 = 1.67 amps per lamp. That would allow you to run 5 lamps per transformer. Anything more and you will likely burn up the transformer.

I'd also like to point out that with the transformer running 5 lamps at 12 volts and 8.35 amps on the load side you would only have .84 amps on the line side which is the 15 amp circuit of the house wiring. There is no need to mess with the breaker. You just need to add a transformer and another light kit.

 

I am glad I asked. It didn't intuitively seem like that circuit couldn't handle another set of lights, but I didn't know how to do the math....

So just twist the two (white) light wires together with the appropriate (white) house wire (etc)and move on?

 

Yes.

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